Internal-combustion engine



A..L. POWELL.

INTERNAL coNlBusloN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. B. |920.

19484@ MMS.,

Patented 3l, i922,

ALVE L. POVTELL, 0F LULES, CTY, MONTANA, ASSEGNOE T0 THE L. C0., 03F JLES CTY, MONTANA, A CORLGRATION;

hlTERN'AL-COMQEUSTN ENGNE.

napplication filed, December 8, 1920. 4Serial No. 429,166.

internal combustion engines, and particu# larly of the class in which combustion is maintained either continuously through power stroke, or through any predetermined part of it, but by a novel construction and arrangement of the transmission member l am able to secure effects not otherwise obtainable. ln engines of this type so far designed the working piston stroke has had a fixedl relation to the crank stroke, but in the invention l shall describe there is a dilfcrence between them, and from this specific advantages are derived. rlhese are greater flexibility, resulting from more perfect eX- pansion; a greater possible range of limits between maximum and minimum power in the same engine; and possible retarding and cooling effects by which the speed of the engine may be lessened Without sacrificing efficiency.

In the annexed drawings, Fig. l is a sectional elevation, showing the Working parts of an engine equipped with my novel transmission member.4

Fig. 2 is a diagram, indicating cyclic operation.

Achanges in strokel from altering ythe lever members of th'etransmission mechanism.

Fig. Ll'is a further diagram of cylinder operation. y

Fig. 5` is a modification of the method of introducing the compressed charge.

Fig. 6 is a diagram to accompany Fig. 5. ln Fig. l the combustion cylinder, A, having on its upper end the inlet (A1.) and exhaust- (AZ) valves, communicates through a by-pass, twvith a second cylinder, A4. rlhe latter may be separate or integral with the cylinder A, but as shown, it is integral. At the closed end of cylinder A4' is an inlet check valve A5", While on the ley-pass an outlet check valve is located, A6. Near the end of cylinder A there is a pipe, A7, communieating with a valve, A8, through which the combustible duid. or gas, is introduced to the expansion cylinder, A. rlhe valve A@ communicates with any fuel source, by a.

pipe', A, and with any compressed air source through a pipe A10. ln the cylinder A is fitted a piston, B1, slidable therein. 'fo the piston B1 is attached a link-piston rod, B2, by means of a Wrist pin, B3. r)The link B2 is fitted to a crank lever, B4', by means of a pin, B5, carrying Cotter pins, as slio'vvn. rllhe crank lever B4 is pivoted on a pin, B6, mounted, preferably, in the frame of the engine. Un the pin B6 are also mounted a gear. B7, and a guide member, B3. Thev crank lever B4 and gear B7 are pinnedtogether by the pins B9, being rotatable together on B6. The slide member Will be called slide in the further description of the engine. rlhe slide B8 'is formed of two struts that are pivote'd on the pin B6, one on each side of the gear, although only one ap pears in the drawing. y rlhese struts, orforks, are fastened to a suitable block, or liner, that presses against the back of a rack, C, which is thus held in position on three sides. rlfhe slide is fastened together, preferably, by tap bolts, C1, C2, as shovvn, the bolts being further secured by a cot-ter pin, C3. Vlhe slide oscillates freely on in B6, changing its position to conform to tie variations in angle incident to the movement of the crank, C5, on the engine shaft, as shown, (CG, dotted lines). The toothed portion or rack, of the crank rod. meshes with the teeth of the gear B7, with which it is always held in proper alignment by the movement of the oscillatingslide, B8.

vln the cylinder /L is a piston, D, connected to a piston rbd D1, toothed along part of its length as shown, and fitting in a guide, D2, preferably formed from a lug in the frame of the engine. The teeth on this piston rod mesh With the gear B7, and it is4 evident, from the construction described, 'that the pistons B1 and U will have a cornmon movement as regards time of stroke, but in opposite directions.

rlhe operation of the engine is as follows: @n the upstroke 'of piston B1 the exhaust valve A2 will be open, by the action of any suitable auxiliary means, not shown in dravving. lin the meantime, the piston D is de scending, compressing a charge of air previously dravvn in through the check valve A5. s the piston B1 reaches end of stroke, the exhaust valve A2 again opens, by the two cycle type.

'ing

action of proper auxiliaryuneans, not shown; What remains of a previously burnt charge is forced out asthe piston returns. The exhaust valve closes and the inlet' valve, A1, opens and a charge of compressed air enters the cylinder A. As the piston starts on its downstroke the inlet valve closes and the fuel valve, A, opens, a stream of fuel, either gas, vapor, or a prepared mixture of dr7 fuel and air (such asy coaldust), entering the combustion chamber of the cylinder The temperature of the already'compressed air isy suiicient to cause ignition, and the pressure of the uncombined compressed air and burner gases is raised, or maintained, as the piston B1 moves on its downward, or power, stroke. rllhe inlet of combustible con tinuesthroughout any prearranged period; but in any case, it is cut oif near end of outstroke. ln the meantime, the piston D is moving vertically and during this part of its stroke it draws 'in a fresh charge of air through. the valve A5, vthe check valve cutting 0H the air chamber of At from the combustion chamber of cylinder the pressure of air and gas in cylinder A being greater than that of D, during thel intake stroke of the latter.

@n reversing,.the piston B1 moves up- Wardand the valve A2 opens, the burnt charge being forced out as the piston rises.

`'llhe piston D starts to descend, at the same time, compresing a new air charge. lt is evident that an impulse occurs at each downward stroke, and that the englne is of the ln Fig. 3 the diagram shows a cycle in i detail, as, already described. rlhis may be altered, however, by a suitable arrangement of cams to operate, as shown in the diagrams of Fig.. 2. lin this, the exhaust would be for full back stroke, the inlet vaive openas the piston starts out, the new charge being cut oi'f at a hypothetical point, a, lFig, 2.

lt will be observed, by examining the drawing, that the strokes of the pistons vary as to length, that of B1 being greater than that of D. The diameter of the cyiinder if must be therefore greater than that of cylinder A, in order to assure equality by volume.

rifhe crank lever Bt moves through a greater radius than the pitch radius of the B5. The crank C5 has a less movement than the piston. This diierential relation makes it possibile. to modify the cycle as already described and, instead, to have one such indicated in diagram liig"` et. ln this the compressed'charge enters for a small part of stroke, ignition takes pls e con a pre-determined point point will-be'less than the .t cut-off of ignition, a further enpansion wiil ensue, but with pressnre faiting rapidly', the

Lasarte charge expanding with increasing cylinder volume. This will lead to a cooling effect, for the charge, as it expands, will absorb heat from piston and cylinder walls, the speed of the engine slackening. This arrangement will convert the piston into a. cooling pump, for the time being; jointly with this will occur a retarding eifectthat will lslow the engine for an average part of the stroke.

In Figo a modification of the two cycle type of engine is shown. The chamber D communicates with the cylinder A through a pipe, D4, and with cylinder A* by a pipe. D5. The chamber D is covered, exteriorly, with any heat insulating material, in order to retain the heat of any compressed air or gas, that may be forced in it. 0n the compression stroke D the air will be forced into the retaining chamber, a check valve at D holding the pressure. The `actuating means of the engine being properly adjusted. a cycle can be made as shown in diagram Fig. (S. ln this the erhaust stops at al, the new charge starting to enter before this, helping to blow out the burntigases. Exhaust cuts off and the charge inlet continues to e. lnlet then cuts 0H, and for the remainder of upstroke the charge is further compressed by the action of the piston..

'lhe differential relation between piston stroke and crank stroke may be made what-- ever desired by changing the center B5 with reference to the pitch radius of gear B5', or vice versa. Diagram Fig. 3, indicates alterations that may be effected.

lt is evident that many modifications in the operation of the internal combustion engine of the high compression, auto-ignition class are possible with the system it have described. The differential relation between 4piston stroke andfcrank stroke gives a wide range for such variations, while the exact structure herein given may be replaced by others, yet stili remain within the limits of my invention.

"What l believe is new, and ask to have lprotected by Letters Patent, is-

l. lin an internal combustion engine, the combination of a power cylinder and a piston in said cylinder, an auxiliary cyiinder and a piston in said cylinder, operable valves for controlling inlet of air and gas and for the outdow of a burned charge, a crank shaft, a differential transmission between said cylinders and crank shaft, means connectinglthe power piston with the difterential transnfiission` means connecting the diiferential transmission with the crank shaft, and means for operating the auxiliary piston from the said differential transmission, substantialiy as described.

2. ln an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder. a compressing cylinder, communicating means between said cylinlllti ders. valves controlling the flow of Huid through said means, pistons operable in said cylinders, a differential transmission member, connecting means from the piston of the compressing cylinder `to said differential transmission member, means connecting the differential transmissionv member with the piston in the power cylinder for e'ecting a difference in the relative-length of Strokes ofthe said pistons, a cra-nk shaft, and means for transmitting the power of the piston in the power cylinder through the differential transmission member to the crank shaft, substantially as described.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder, an air compressing cylinder, communicating means between the cylinders. a compressed air storage tank interposed in said means, a valve for controlling the flow of compressed air through said means; operable valves for controlling the inlet of compressed air and fuel into the power cylinder and for the outflow of a burned charge from the cylinder, pistons operable in said cylinders, a crank shaft, a differential transmission member interposed between the crank shaft and pistons, and means operatively connecting the differential transmission with the pistons and crank shaft, substantially as described.

4L. In an internal combustion engine, a power cylinder, an air compressin cylinder having a greater diameter than t e power cylinder, oppositely moving pistons in ysaid cylinders, communicating means between the cylinders, operable valves for controlling the inlet of air and fuel into the power cylinder and for the outlet of a burned charge from the' power cylinder, a crank shaft, a

connecting rod having a rack face carriedl by the crank shaft. a slide mounted upon the connecting rod, a pinion Carried by the slide meshing with the rack face of the connecting rod, a lever having a greater length than the radius o f the pinion, means detachably securing the lever at one end to the pinion whereby 'different length levers can be attached to the pinion, a piston rod earried by the piston in the power cylinder and connected to the outer end of the lever, a piston rod carried by the piston in the air compressing cylinder, and a rack face formed on the last mentioned rod meshing with the pinion, substantially as described.,

In testimony whereof l affix my si nature.

ALVAH L. PUW LL, 

